Combined wire-fence machine and stalk-cutter.



" No. 690,324. Patented Dec. 31,19m.

F. SCHMITT.

GOMMNED WIRE FENCE MAGH-INE ANDSTAIIK CUTTER.

(Applicatiqfl -fl18d. May 4, 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 690,324. Patented Dec. 3|, l90l.

' F. SCHMITT.

COMBINED WIRE FENCE MACHINE AND STALK CUTTER.

(Application filed May 4, 1901.)

-2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Model.)

UNITED STATES FRANK SOHMITT, OF

COMBINED WIRE-FENCE MA CARLYLE, ILLINOIS.

CHINE AND STALK-CUTTER.

SPEGIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 690,324, dated December 31., 1901.

Application filed May 4, 1901.

T0 ctZZ whom it mayconccrn:

Be it known that I, FRANK SOHMITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carlyle, county of Clinton, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combination Wire-Fence Machine and Stalk-Cutter; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combination wirefence machine and stalk-cutter.

My object is to provide a machine of improved construction which can be drawn along and made to feed or pay out wire during the building of wire fences.

A further objectis the provision of a machine of novel construction which will be adapted to reel in or take up fence-wire after the removal of the same from the posts.

A further object is the novel combination or attachment of a device that may be made to collect and cut up stalks.

The construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described, reference being had to accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of my machine. Fig. 2 is an end view, the tongue or pole of the machine being in section. Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine, one of the runningwheels being removed. Fig. 4 is a l ace view of the reel upon which the fence-wire is wound. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same reel, save that the cutters are attached. Fig. 6 is a plan View of a support and bearing for the reel. Fig. 7 is a perspective view. of the same part with adjusting-screw attached.

Fig. 8 isa perspective view of one of the bearings for the reel-axle.

The main frame 1 of the machine is rectangular and mounted upon the axle 2 of the transporting or running wheels 3. Upon the front end of said frame 1 is secured a metal bracket 46, which is constructed with a vertical central loop forming a guideway for the tongue or pole f the machine. The said bracket is strengthened by lateral inclined braces 47 and 48. (See Fig. 2.) The rear end of, the tongue 4 is pivoted upon blocks or pedestals 51, arranged on the rear end of the Serial No. 58,835. (No model.)

main frame l-that is to say, the rear end of the tongue is secured centrally to a cross-bar 50, whose ends are journaled in bearings 52, secured upon the pedestals 51. The tongue 4 and cross-piece are braced by inclined bars 49. It will be seen that the tongue 4 is adapted to .play vertically in the guideway or .slot provided by the bracket 46. It is adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1, relatively to the main frame 1 by means of the elbow lever 43, which is pivoted atits angle to the tongue 4, and whose'shorter arm is connected with one of the braces 47, attached to front end of main frame 1. The said shorter arm of the lever is provided with a lengthwise slot, as shown in Fig. 1, which receives the cross-bolt that connects the lever with said brace 47. It is apparent that by moving the lever 43 backward the front end of frame 1 will be raised. A segmental rack 44 and a pawl pivoted to the lever 43 serve to lock the latter in any adjustment. The reel proper is mounted'and secured upon an axisor axle 9. A gear 8 iskeyed upon one end of said axle and the other end is provided with a circumferential notch 29. The reel is supported in bearings formed by metal plates 17 and 18. The plate 18 is attached to the under side of the frame 1 andin advance of the running wheels 3, and the plate 17 is hinged to the rear end of plate 18 and provided at its front end (see Figs. 6 and 7) with a slot adapted to receive a lug 21. (See Fig. 1.) A pin 20 is inserted through the lug when the plates are in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1. Semicircular coincident grooves are formed in the plates 17 and 18 transversely of the same for the purpose of receiving the axle 9 of the wirereel. A screw 30 (see Fig. 1) passes down through the side bars of frame 1 and the front ends of the plates 17 and 18 and serves to adjust the lower plate 17 as may be required to form a close bearing for the reelaxle 9. The reel is prevented from shifting laterallythat is, endwiseby engagement of its groove 29 with the bearing formed by means of a brake-block 26. (See Figs. 1 and 8.) A fixed block 22 is secured to each side of the main frame 1, and the movable block 26 is arranged directly beneath it and secured detachably bymeans of screw-bolts and nuts. The groove in the brake-block 26 has a central transverse web or partition 27, (see Fi 8,) which enters the groove 29 of the axle.

The operation is obvious. The gear 8 is in mesh with a large gear 7, fixed on the axle 2 and adapted to rotate therewith. It will be understood that at least one of the transporting-wheels 3 is fixed on the axle, so that'the latter revolves as the machine is drawn for ward, thereby causing rotation of the reel backward, as indicated by arrow in Fig. 3. .WVhen the reel-axle is in the rear bearing, its gear 8 meshes with the large gear 7; but when adjusted in the forward bearing the gears are disengaged.

A series of guide-rollers 32 is mounted rotatably in a frame secured to the front portion of the'pole or tongue 4. These rollers are four in number, two being disposed at right angles to the others and the members of each pair being separated by a space sufficient to allow passage of a barbed wire. A similar set of rollers 33 is attached to the pendent end of a rod or shaft 40, which is hung in bearings beneath the tongue 4 and. extends to the rear end of the same, where it is, provided with a crank 42. The rollers 33 are located at a lower point than the rollers 24, and their function is to guide the barbed Wire to the reel as the wire is taken up when the, machine advances. The handle or crank 42 is in such proximity to the drivers seat 6 that it may be convenient-1y operated by him for the purpose of deflecting the rollers '33 to the right or left, as may be required to cause the wire to Wind upon one end or the other of the, reel.

The operation is as follows: \Vhenit is desired to construct or put up afence, a reel of wire is put in position, and as the machine moves forward the wire automatically pays out and can be stapled to the posts. The block-brake 26 is tightened to prevent a too- Ifapid paying out of wire. When the wire of one. reel has been exhausted, the frame may be. removed and another substituted. When it isdesired to take up wire of a fence that has been taken down, the wire is first fed through the set of rollers at the end of tongue, thence passed through the rollers on the for- Ward end of rock-shaft 40, and then secured to the Winding-frame. The shifting to the left of the small cog-wheel on end of revolving shaft puts the machine in gear, and when moved forward will take up the wire, the driver meantime operating the crank at the rear end of the rock-shaft, thus guiding the Wire to the revolving frame and causing it to feed evenly thereon.

Inorder to remove the reel when filled with wire, the brake-block 26 is detached, the pin 20 removed from the lug 21, and the screw .30 screwed out of plate 17, so that the latter may be dropped down on its hinge. Another revolving frame or reel may then be substituted for the loaded one. It will be tinderstood that when the reel is used for winding wire, as above described, the axle 9 is placed in the bearings nearest the rear end of the plates 17 and 13. When the machine is to be used for cutting stalks, the wire is adjusted with its axle in the forward bearings (see Fig. l) which are nearest the front end of the plate 17, and straight knives or cutters 15 are bolted to the ends of the reel-arms 12. The lever 43 is then shifted as may be required to cause the knives to bear on the ground, or at leastapproach close to it. Then as the machine moves forward the stalks will be bent down by the reel and the knives rolling over them will not only sever them from the roots, but cut them into short lengths or pieces. It

will be understood that by shifting the reel forward its gear 8 is taken out of mesh with the large gear 7 on the axle 2, so that the reel rotates slowly by reason of contact of its knives with the cornstalks. Inmany cases the cornstalks are lodged or inclined laterally to an undue degree, and for the purpose of straightening them, so that. the reel may act on them in the required manner, Iemploy two curved spring-arms 45, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) the same being constructed of stout spring-wire, havinga coil near the upper ends and secured to the tongue 4. The arms curve forward and also diverge laterally to accommodate them to their function.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the main frame, its axle and transporting-wheels, of a wire-reel supported in bearings on said frame, andprovided with a pinion, a gear mounted on the axle and meshing with said pinion, and a tongue pivoted to the mainframe, and means for adjusting the latter at an angle to the tongue,substantiallyas shown and described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the main frame, itsaxle and transporting-wheels, of a wire-reel sup ported in bearings and driven from the axle, a guiding-bracket attached to the front portion of the main frame, the tongue passing through said guide and pivoted at the rear of the main frame, and a lever connected with the main frame andrtongue, and adapted to raise and lower the front portion of the frame, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with the main frame, transportingwheels, a pivoted tongue, and means for shifting the latter vertically relative to the frame, of a rotatable wire reel, and a crank-rod extending rearward in bearingsattached to the tongue, and having on its front pendent end abarbed-wire guide composed of two pairs of rollers which are arranged at right angles to each other, the two rollers of each pair being spaced apart as shown and described.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with the main frame and transporting-whee1s,of the wire-reel,bearin gs composed of a plate fixed to the under side of the frame, an under plate hinged to the upper one, and both provided with coinciand provided with two sockets or bores for the axle of the reel, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 15 specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK SOHMITT;

Witnesses:

FRED GOLDER, B. F. WADE. 

